The Karma Conundrum

“What you sow, is what you reap.” We all know this, we have all heard this, but we think we are immune to Karma’s wiles till it comes back to bite us in the derriere. The first argument one poses against the existence of karma is the fact that good people seem to suffer, and bad people seem to get off scot free. Karma will not necessarily play out in the same lifetime. For example, someone has wronged you in this lifetime. You keep waiting for recompense, but it doesn’t come. This person seems to have a perfect life, while you are grappling with your own troubles. In truth, this person may not pay for his sins in this lifetime, but he will surely have to pay for it in another lifetime. This is cosmic law, and therefore it is exact.

In essence, cosmic law is based on mathematics, as quantum physicists will tell you. So, karma is nothing but addition and subtraction. So say, for example, though a previous lifetimes, you have incurred the following karma:

- Point: stealing

- Point: physical assault

- Point: over-critical of others

+ Point: conscientious worker

+ Point: responsible

+ Point: loving

You will have to face the consequences of each of the negative points, and reap the benefits of

each of the positive points. Meaning, you will be stolen from, you will be physically assaulted, you will be over-criticised. However, you will also be supported by conscientious workers, have responsible people around you, and receive plenty of love. It is important to note that one positive point cannot cancel out another negative point. For example, if you betray someone’s trust and then hope to cancel out with negative karma by tithing, i.e. donating money to the temple, it will not work. Yes, by giving money to a temple where they use it for the good of humanity, you are generating good karma, but it will not erase the bad karma generating from betraying someone’s trust.

So how do you minimise the bad karma generated from betraying someone’s trust? First, you apologise to the person wholeheartedly. Sometimes, this is not possible. Then, apologise to the person in your mind or in your prayers, and to God (if you believe).* Then, you never repeat that behaviour. For this process you need to have self-restraint, for which meditation and self-analysis will help immensely. Further, you may try and help people who have been betrayed by someone in whichever capacity you can. For example, if you are a lawyer, you may help them pro bono; or you may just lend a sympathetic ear to their troubles.

This is explained simply as such: “If you sow apples, you will read apples, if you sow bananas, you will read bananas. Do not sow apples and expect to reap bananas.”

Suppose when you were young and immature and did things you are not proud of. Now, you are older and wiser and you repent those actions, but are afraid of the consequences to come. There is a way to minimise (not eliminate, only minimise) the effect of those actions. These are:

· Repent sincerely and thoroughly

· Remove the negative habit that caused the negative action

· Never repeat the same behaviour

· Help the people or the kind of people that you hurt. For example, if you made fun of a boy who stammered in your school, now, you can volunteer at a class meant to teach people how to get rid of their stammer. Otherwise, you can tithe, or give a minimum of 2% your income each month to this organization.

· Cleanse yourself of self-guilt This step comes after you have completed the previous steps, otherwise these is no impetus to complete the steps.

It is helpful to be part of spiritual organizations where one is taught the technology to rid themselves of negativity, cleanse their mind, and meditations to make their journey through paying off bad karma easier. Reading books that discuss karma is also very helpful, as long as one applies these teachings in their everyday life. In essence, one needs to be mindful of how one conducts oneself in life. As it is said in the Avestan: “good thoughts, good words, good deeds.”

*The author believes that God is the name the human race has given to the source of cosmic energy. The author does not think of God as an entity, rather as a form of energy that cannot be understood or explained through the tools currently available to the human race. This is no way minimises the effect of prayer, which the author believes draws cosmic energy to the person in prayer.

References:

Karma and Reincarnation by Paramahansa Yogananda

The Laws of The Spirit World by Khorshed Bhavnagri

The Ancient Science and Art of Pranic Healing by Master Choa Kok Sui

The author is a Reiki Master and Pranic Healer. The author is a certified healer with Violet Fire Healing and Meditation. For more information go to www.violetfire.in or call +919619125449.